Heat and Calm: The Story of BonKai and Stelena
by zalrb
Summary: A mash-up between Stelena and BonKai, exploring the idea of what BonKai and Stelena would be if they were elemental, how nature would react to them and how they would react to nature, basically getting to the essence of each ships


It was quiet here; only the noises of the wood sounded in the night — the soft chirpings of unseen birds, the whisper of a warm breeze as it rustled almost delicately through the trees. A full moon hung large and luminous in the sky, its silver glow a rippled reflection in the black river. Deer and squirrels moved through the grass unconcerned — nothing but peace. Not even Elena's presence at the edge of the water did anything to disturb the natural calmness of the wood. Perhaps it was because she was at peace herself, stilled with the kind of contented anticipation that only certainty brings — certainty that what you've been waiting for, what you've been hoping for will come and will come when needed.

Elena delighted in the wind, in the way it caressed her skin and danced with her hair, at the way it ruffled the hem of her dress so that the material tickled her legs — it felt like she was engaging with life itself, like she was taking in creation — she'd been feeling like that lately, ever since she became human again, ever since she found her way back to…

And then she saw him at the other end of the river. The effect was immediate. Warmth everywhere — at first a spark within her chest and then a flood throughout her body; her heart was a flutter of eagerness and her mind was calm with the sight of him. It was more than excitement, it was more, even, than being in love, it was love itself — utter inspiration and wholehearted satisfaction, relief and nourishment and it was all hers to experience.

Elena felt the urge to rush forward, to crash into him, to just be _near_ him but the moment she made up her mind to run, there was a whisper and he disappeared from where he stood only to end up right in front of her, almost no space between them. Stefan combed his fingers through Elena's hair then trailed them down to her jawline, his thumb stroking her beneath her chin and Elena leaned her face into his palm, enclosing his wrist with her hand. She kissed him then, his lips soft against hers, her body urgent against his. He moved his hands from the sides of her face, slipping them down to the small of her back and Elena sighed, relishing in the feel of his hands on her body; she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth harder against his, sinking even deeper into the embrace, throwing her arms around his neck, pushing herself further into him. Stefan held her waist tightly and squeezed, encouraging her attempt to get as close as she could.

It was a private moment. A true display of intimacy. Then again, thought Bonnie as she watched them from behind the trees, those two could have private moments anywhere, even in public. _Even if they were actively talking to other people._ All of them would be at The Grill or at school, wherever, and Elena and Stefan would laugh and joke with everyone else, their arms around each other, and it would just be so clear that they were on their own, separate plane that existed only for them. It would've been annoying if it weren't kind of beautiful to witness, if their love for each other wasn't as humble as it was profound. Bonnie sighed. She'd come to the woods to be alone, to reconnect with magic, with purity, and she happened upon Stefan and Elena, which in a way meant she'd found what she'd been looking for, and now she couldn't look away from them. Somehow it didn't feel like a violation; it was almost as if this was something that was meant to be seen.

"So that's what you want," said a sardonic voice. "Really?"

Bonnie didn't turn around. She knew who the voice belonged to and she knew that he'd make his way to her eventually.

"And if it is?" she said. "What's so terrible about that?"

"It's terrible because it's a lie."

Bonnie laughed derisively and tilted her head toward the distant figures of Elena and Stefan; they were hugging now, holding one another with such certainty that in each other's arms was where they were both supposed to be, their silhouettes like entwining trees rooted in the ground. "That looks like a lie to you?" she said.

"It'd be a lie for us."

"Look at that, we managed to get to the root of the problem in less than thirty seconds."

"The problem," said the voice. "Is that you keep trying to convince yourself that you want something you know you don't."

"I'm tired of you telling me what I want."

"And I'm tired of you making me tell you."

Bonnie could hear the voice's sarcasm give way to aggravation and there were the sounds of twigs snapping and leaves crackling; footstep in the dirt. A few seconds later, Kai was standing a couple of feet behind Bonnie, watching her watch Stefan and Elena. The two of them had gone from hugging to sitting on the riverbank, no blanket beneath them, and Elena was in front of Stefan, her back leaned against his stomach — he looked to be stroking her hair as she pressed her head into his chest.

"I don't even know why you find that appealing," said Kai.

"And why wouldn't I? Why the hell wouldn't I? It's peace of mind. You've robbed me of that."

"And what is it that you think you do to me exactly? If I'm not thinking about being with you I'm thinking about killing you so I can stop thinking about being with you! But that's us. Just like this conversation is us. You running away over and freaking _over_ again… _that's us, Bonnie."_

She whirled around so that she was facing him. _"Christ, Kai."_ The sharpness of her voice caused birds to take flight, hooting as they launched off from the branches on which they were perched. "Maybe I don't want to be a part of something that makes me run away all the damn time!"

"You run away because this is real and you can't handle it but sure, opt for delusion."

"It's not delusional to want to be with someone I don't also want to set on fire. Like actual fire. Like I want you to burn to death and I want to be the one who makes you. Like, _God._ " Bonnie put her hand to her forehead. "It shouldn't be like this. It should be like that!"

She spun back toward the river and pointed to Stefan and Elena. Their heads were turned to each other, their noses almost touching and then Elena moved so that their lips met; it was soft at first, tentative, but then Bonnie could see Stefan lean in so that Elena reacted by putting her palms on his neck, his hands on either side of her face, their kiss gentle and zealous at the same time — full of longing, of the simple desire to just share themselves with each other. Then Stefan was lying down, Elena above him; the mist from the river almost cloaking them.

"Elena doesn't wish Stefan dead fifty times a day," said Bonnie harshly.

Kai walked closer to her, casual determination in his gait. "And why do you wish me dead, Bonnie? That's the real question. That's the question that keeps you running."

"Oh please, Kai, it isn't that complicated. _You_ aren't that complicated."

Kai took her by the arm and turned her so she was facing him again. "Then answer the question," he said forcefully. "Why do you wish me —"

"Because I hate you! It's that simple. I _hate_ you, Kai. I hate what you did to me in the nineties, I hate that because of you when I came back here, nothing felt right, _I_ didn't feel right, I didn't feel anything! At all! Until we … until I let you … _Screwing_ you is the only way I can feel anything and it sucks! You make me feel in the _worst_ possible way. What I feel when I'm with you, it isn't — isn't —"

"What," said Kai. "It isn't wholesome?"

"No, it isn't wholesome. It's everything I'm against."

"But you can't leave."

 _"I keep leaving you."_

"No, you keep coming back. And _that's_ why you wish me dead."

"Get a grip."

"Get a clue!" said Kai angrily. "No one keeps returning to something they want to escape! But that over there, what Stefan and Elena have, that's what you want? Then go get it!"

 _"Maybe I will!"_ Bonnie's face was etched with rage. "It'd be nice to have sex without shame for a fucking change."

She knocked into Kai's shoulder as she stormed off deeper into the wood, catching a glimpse of his narrowed eye expression and clenched jaw before taking off. Stefan and Elena were still visible in the distance; Elena swaying atop of Stefan seemingly in sync with the waves of the river, her fingers interlinked with his so that they were holding hands; their sighs and breathing and panting lost and carried in the wind.

Bonnie took another step but then she heard it, the oh so familiar swish of speed, and then Kai was in front of her, his lips pressed hard against hers, his hands painfully clutching the sides of her face as he thrust her backward so that they slammed against a tree. The moment Bonnie's back made harsh contact with the trunk, the branches and leaves burst into flame and a trail of fire blazed down the shaft of the tree, stopping just above her head; she could hear them all flee the area — the creatures of the wood.

Kai didn't pull away, he didn't give Bonnie the opportunity to breathe or think, his mouth opened hers with earnest ferocity as his thumbs tangled in her hair, he pushed his body against hers, daring her to shove him away. Bonnie was exhilarated with dread and guilted with pleasure; Kai always knew how to make her skin sing and her heart grieve and she grabbed him by the head, pushing him to her, crying silently as the taste of his tongue made her groan with yearning, as the smell of ashes overpowered her senses.


End file.
